Fast-rising Nollywood actress and model, Queen Adakole has her eyes on the top. The 24 year-old Benue State born dark-skinned beauty, is set to take the entertainment industry by storm with her target of reaching out to a minimum of 15 million people. In this interview, she talks about her career, relationship, family and more .
When did you begin your acting career?
I started acting in 2005 when I did my first movie ‘Queen of Tomorrow’. It was shot in Ghana, Benin Republic and Lagos. Then I was still in secondary school (SS2). I had to stop acting after that because my family thought if I continued, I wouldn’t go to school. But I got back fully into the industry in 2012.
How did you start modeling?
Before modeling, I was actually dancing. I danced for two years then went into modelling. One of my artiste friends in Benin Republic whom I danced for looked at me and said ‘Why just dance, why not model?’. He said I could do well at modeling since I’m dark, tall and slim. I joined a modeling house in Benin Republic. That was how I started modeling and I took it professionally when I came down to Nigeria to continue my education.
Which is more lucrative, acting or modeling?
I would say acting, though modeling is cool, but you can’t model all your life. At one point, you have to retire. Acting is a lifetime career. I’m more passionate about acting.
Which do you think is more challenging?
Acting is more challenging because you have to pretend to be what or who you are not. You work on new challenges everyday. You learn new languages, travel often and sometimes you hardly get to rest.
How easy was it for you to get into the acting industry considering the competition?
It wasn’t really easy, it’s just by God’s grace. I was fortunate to meet the right people like Mr. Ibu and he accepted to manage me. He gave me my first major job and we worked together subsequently. After that, I’ve been freelancing on my own and I’ve met a lot of other great people.
Most people would ague that actors don’t really make love on set and that it’s all make-believe?
It depends on the kind of movie you’re doing. In Africa, we don’t go to the extremes, but when you’re doing a Hollywood movie, anything can happen. I don’t intend to just be an African actress, I intend to take it to the next level, do Hollywood movies and so on.
Have you done any sexually explicit scene before?
I have.
Don’t you get turned on doing some of those scenes?
No. I take the idea of lovemaking and sex very personal. So, when I’m working, it’s work. You don’t get aroused or get a feeling. You get carried away in the act, but you don’t get carried away in the feeling. In the sense that, you know you’re doing a movie and you want to make it look real. You pretend to be another person but you don’t feel a thing. After everything, you’re like ‘it’s nice working with you’ and it ends there. Some people might take it elsewhere, but for me, it ends there.
Would you date someone in the industry?
I can’t control my feelings but I wouldn’t want to date anyone in the industry. I’m an entertainer and I’m not ready for an entertainer kind of relationship. We travel a lot and so the person could be living a double life. He could get married to someone in Zambia and have you as a wife in Nigeria.
Are you inferring that entertainers live double lives?
I’m not saying so, but it’s possible, the chances are 50-50.
What are you presently working on?
I’m working on my own entertainment outfit which will encompass acting, modeling, music, dance and so on. I currently have a dance team that I manage in Benin Republic. I’m working on a lot of stuff to put myself out there, because I came into the industry with a target to reach a minimum of 15 million people around the world. I’m also currently doing a documentary on myself in Benin Republic, showing my full story in visuals which will be aired on TV.
What are those physical attributes you possess that has worked in your favour?
My colour. I’m black, black is beautiful and unique. Secondly, my height which is 5’ 10”, so for a woman, I’m tall. Also, my slim structure and my stomach is so flat that when I wear a bikini, people are like ‘Wow!’. Then the funny part that I don’t joke with is, my boobs. They are small and cute and I don’t think they can ever sag. Having small boobs is the cutest thing any lady could ever have because 20 years to come they still look fresh and attractive. Why go for silicons when after five years, they go down and I still need to go fill it up again?
You think that has really worked for you?
It has worked a lot of magic for me in the sense that any clothes I put on, look good on me. I don’t worry about anything because they are there to make it perfect. What’s the point having big boobs when after some time, you can’t show them off anymore. Two things I won’t do: enlarge my boobs or change my colour.
What’s your take on going nude either as a model or as an actress?
I would go nude with concept, but completely nude? No. What I mean by going nude with concept is, for instance, in modeling you could do a photo-shoot where you’re nude but with your hands covering your privates. It shows that you’re nude but with concept – people don’t get to see your privates.
With the increase in homosexuality everywhere and in Nollywood, have you had any experience in that regard?
There was a time, I went to work in the east in Owerri, precisely. After shooting, I was in my hotel room and a lady who also worked on the same set with me, walked up to me at about 1.00a.m when we finished shooting. She told me she couldn’t go back to her house in Owerri, so I asked her to come and stay in my room, so that she could go back home in the morning and prepare for the next shoot. It was so funny that night, because it was the first time I was having such an experience with a lady. It was so real and strange. She just started touching me. I stood up and slapped her. I don’t like a lady touching me. No offense to the gay, because I have a lot of gay friends but I don’t like when you do it to me. Even though I slapped her, she was still like ‘Please, it won’t hurt, you’ll like it’. It was as if she was sick, because it wasn’t her anymore. I had to scream and people came to my rescue, because she was so strong, pushing and I was struggling with her. It was as if she was possessed. When people came, she pleaded that she didn’t know what came over her, to a point that I felt bad to have screamed for people to come. She was like a totally different person after the whole incident.
What was your growing up like?
It was fun because my family moved a lot. I was born in Plateau State, then we moved to Bauchi where I spent about ten years. After that, we moved to Republic of Benin where I spent most of my life. I’m the first girl out of a family of nine.
When did you begin your acting career?
I started acting in 2005 when I did my first movie ‘Queen of Tomorrow’. It was shot in Ghana, Benin Republic and Lagos. Then I was still in secondary school (SS2). I had to stop acting after that because my family thought if I continued, I wouldn’t go to school. But I got back fully into the industry in 2012.
How did you start modeling?
Before modeling, I was actually dancing. I danced for two years then went into modelling. One of my artiste friends in Benin Republic whom I danced for looked at me and said ‘Why just dance, why not model?’. He said I could do well at modeling since I’m dark, tall and slim. I joined a modeling house in Benin Republic. That was how I started modeling and I took it professionally when I came down to Nigeria to continue my education.
Which is more lucrative, acting or modeling?
I would say acting, though modeling is cool, but you can’t model all your life. At one point, you have to retire. Acting is a lifetime career. I’m more passionate about acting.
Which do you think is more challenging?
Acting is more challenging because you have to pretend to be what or who you are not. You work on new challenges everyday. You learn new languages, travel often and sometimes you hardly get to rest.
How easy was it for you to get into the acting industry considering the competition?
It wasn’t really easy, it’s just by God’s grace. I was fortunate to meet the right people like Mr. Ibu and he accepted to manage me. He gave me my first major job and we worked together subsequently. After that, I’ve been freelancing on my own and I’ve met a lot of other great people.
Most people would ague that actors don’t really make love on set and that it’s all make-believe?
It depends on the kind of movie you’re doing. In Africa, we don’t go to the extremes, but when you’re doing a Hollywood movie, anything can happen. I don’t intend to just be an African actress, I intend to take it to the next level, do Hollywood movies and so on.
Have you done any sexually explicit scene before?
I have.
Don’t you get turned on doing some of those scenes?
No. I take the idea of lovemaking and sex very personal. So, when I’m working, it’s work. You don’t get aroused or get a feeling. You get carried away in the act, but you don’t get carried away in the feeling. In the sense that, you know you’re doing a movie and you want to make it look real. You pretend to be another person but you don’t feel a thing. After everything, you’re like ‘it’s nice working with you’ and it ends there. Some people might take it elsewhere, but for me, it ends there.
Would you date someone in the industry?
I can’t control my feelings but I wouldn’t want to date anyone in the industry. I’m an entertainer and I’m not ready for an entertainer kind of relationship. We travel a lot and so the person could be living a double life. He could get married to someone in Zambia and have you as a wife in Nigeria.
Are you inferring that entertainers live double lives?
I’m not saying so, but it’s possible, the chances are 50-50.
What are you presently working on?
I’m working on my own entertainment outfit which will encompass acting, modeling, music, dance and so on. I currently have a dance team that I manage in Benin Republic. I’m working on a lot of stuff to put myself out there, because I came into the industry with a target to reach a minimum of 15 million people around the world. I’m also currently doing a documentary on myself in Benin Republic, showing my full story in visuals which will be aired on TV.
What are those physical attributes you possess that has worked in your favour?
My colour. I’m black, black is beautiful and unique. Secondly, my height which is 5’ 10”, so for a woman, I’m tall. Also, my slim structure and my stomach is so flat that when I wear a bikini, people are like ‘Wow!’. Then the funny part that I don’t joke with is, my boobs. They are small and cute and I don’t think they can ever sag. Having small boobs is the cutest thing any lady could ever have because 20 years to come they still look fresh and attractive. Why go for silicons when after five years, they go down and I still need to go fill it up again?
You think that has really worked for you?
It has worked a lot of magic for me in the sense that any clothes I put on, look good on me. I don’t worry about anything because they are there to make it perfect. What’s the point having big boobs when after some time, you can’t show them off anymore. Two things I won’t do: enlarge my boobs or change my colour.
What’s your take on going nude either as a model or as an actress?
I would go nude with concept, but completely nude? No. What I mean by going nude with concept is, for instance, in modeling you could do a photo-shoot where you’re nude but with your hands covering your privates. It shows that you’re nude but with concept – people don’t get to see your privates.
With the increase in homosexuality everywhere and in Nollywood, have you had any experience in that regard?
There was a time, I went to work in the east in Owerri, precisely. After shooting, I was in my hotel room and a lady who also worked on the same set with me, walked up to me at about 1.00a.m when we finished shooting. She told me she couldn’t go back to her house in Owerri, so I asked her to come and stay in my room, so that she could go back home in the morning and prepare for the next shoot. It was so funny that night, because it was the first time I was having such an experience with a lady. It was so real and strange. She just started touching me. I stood up and slapped her. I don’t like a lady touching me. No offense to the gay, because I have a lot of gay friends but I don’t like when you do it to me. Even though I slapped her, she was still like ‘Please, it won’t hurt, you’ll like it’. It was as if she was sick, because it wasn’t her anymore. I had to scream and people came to my rescue, because she was so strong, pushing and I was struggling with her. It was as if she was possessed. When people came, she pleaded that she didn’t know what came over her, to a point that I felt bad to have screamed for people to come. She was like a totally different person after the whole incident.
What was your growing up like?
It was fun because my family moved a lot. I was born in Plateau State, then we moved to Bauchi where I spent about ten years. After that, we moved to Republic of Benin where I spent most of my life. I’m the first girl out of a family of nine.
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